Germany and Russia at odds over new Hermitage Museum exhibition

Anatoly Maltsev / AFP/Getty Images

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Hermitage Museum director Mikhail Piotrovsky visit the exhibition "Bronze Age of Europe -- Europe Without Borders" at the State Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, and Hermitage Museum director Mikhail Piotrovsky visit the exhibition "Bronze Age of Europe -- Europe Without Borders" at the State Hermitage museum in St. Petersburg. (Anatoly Maltsev / AFP/Getty Images)

A new exhibition at the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia is causing diplomatic friction between Germany and Russia. "The Bronze Age of Europe: Europe Without Borders" features some German works of art that were looted by Russian soldiers at the end of World War II.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel was in St. Petersburg for a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin, and the two leaders were on hand Friday at the Hermitage to open the exhibition. During the visit, Merkel reportedly called on Russia to return the looted items.

"It's our opinion that these exhibition pieces should be returned to Germany," she said, according to Reuters. Putin reportedly replied that it was time to stop making repatriation claims.

The two leaders had been expected to make opening remarks at the exhibition, but their speeches were canceled, according to reports. The reason for the cancellation is unclear, but the Financial Times reported that the decision to call off the opening ceremony came from Moscow, after Russian officials determined that there were "inconsistencies" between the leaders' speeches.

"The Bronze Age of Europe" features archaeological bronze items from various periods in European history. The exhibition, which opened Friday and is scheduled to run to Sept. 8, contains hundreds of items seized by the Red Army in Germany during World War II.

The Hermitage's website states that the exhibition features bronze weapons, tools, vases and other objects.